Method of processing multi-view image and apparatus for executing the same

Title: Method of processing multi-view image and apparatus for executing the same.Abstract: A method of processing a multi-view image, and a multi-view image processing apparatus for performing the method are provided. The multi-view image processing apparatus includes a first video codec module which is configured to output first image processed data as a result of processing a first image signal provided from a first image source, and to generate sync information at each predetermined time, and a second video codec module which is configured to output second image processed data as a result of processing a second image signal provided from a second image source, using part of the output first image processed data according to the sync information. The first image processed data and the second image processed data are combined into a multi-view image. ...

BACKGROUND

Exemplary embodiments relate to a method of processing an image. More particularly, exemplary embodiments relate to a method of processing a multi-view image using a plurality of video codec modules and apparatuses, e.g., a system-on-chip (SoC), and an image processing system including the same for executing the method.

Multi-view coding is a three-dimensional (3D) image processing technique by which images shot by two or more cameras are geometrically corrected and spatially mixed to provide users multiple points of view. It is also called 3D video coding.

In a related art, video source data or video streams having multiple points of view are processed using a single video codec module. In other words, after first data of a first view is processed, first data of a second view is processed. After first data of all views, i.e., the first and second views are processed, second data of the first view and second data of the second view are sequentially processed. In other words, in processing data of multiple views using a single video codec module, the first data of the respective views are all sequentially processed, and only then, the second data of the respective view are sequentially processed.

In the related art, when data of two views are processed using a single video codec module that can process 60 frames per second, 30 frames are processed for each view. Since the processing performance for each view decreases by half, problems may occur.

For example, in the related art, when an input source of 60 frames is input to an encoder for a second for each view, a total amount of data to be processed is 120 frames per second. Accordingly, the input source of the related art cannot be processed with the module that processes 60 frames per second. To overcome this problem, the input source of the related art is downscaled to a size of 30 frames per second for each view, such that a frame rate is decreased. In the related art, when an input data stream of 60 frames is input to a decoder for a second for each view, a total amount of data to be processed is 120 frames per second. As in the encoder, the input data stream of the related art cannot be processed for a second with the module that processes 60 frames per second. However, unlike the encoder, the amount of input data can be downscaled by half in the decoder. In this case, the decoder of the related art processes 60 frames per second, and displays images two times slower than an original speed.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a method of processing a multi-view image using an image processing apparatus including a first video codec module and a second video codec module. The method includes the first video codec module processing a first frame of a first image signal and sending sync information to a host and the second video codec module processing a first frame of a second image signal, with reference to the processed data of the first frame of the first image signal. Here, a time in which the second video codec module starts the processing of the first frame of the second image signal is determined based on the sync information and the first image signal and the second image signal are processed in parallel by the first video codec module and the second video codec module.

The first image signal may be provided from a first image source and the second image signal may be provided from a second image source, which is different from the first image source.

Alternatively, the first and second image signals may be provided from a single image source.

The method may further include the first video codec module processing an i-th frame of the first image signal, with reference to the processed data of at least one previous frame of the i-th frame, and sending the sync information to the host; and the second video codec module processing an i-th frame of the second image signal, with reference to the processed data of the i-th frame of the first image signal according to control of the host, where “i” is an integer of at least 2.

The sync information may be frame sync information.

According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a method of processing a multi-view image using an image processing apparatus including a first video codec module and a second video codec module. The method includes the first video codec module generating sync information every time data of a predetermined unit has been processed in a first frame of a first image signal; the second video codec module determining whether a reference block in the first frame of the first image signal has been processed according to the sync information; and the second video codec module processing a first frame of a second image signal with reference to the processed data of the reference block.

The predetermined unit may be a row, and the sync information may be row sync information.

The method may further include the first video codec module processing an i-th frame of the first image signal, with reference to the processed data of at least one previous frame of the i-th frame, and sending the sync information to the second video codec module every time data of each row in the i-th frame is processed; the second video codec module determining whether a reference block in the i-th frame of the first image signal has been processed according to the sync information; and the second video codec module processing an i-th frame of the second image signal, with reference to the processed data of the reference block in the i-th frame, where “i” is an integer of at least 2.

Alternatively, the predetermined unit may be a block, and the sync information may be stored in a bitmap memory.

At this time, the method may further include the first video codec module processing an i-th frame of the first image signal with reference to the processed data of at least one previous frame of the i-th frame, and setting a corresponding bit in the bitmap memory every time data of each block in the i-th frame is processed; the second video codec module reading a value from the bitmap memory and determining whether a reference block in the i-th frame of the first image signal has been processed according to the value read from the bitmap memory; the second video codec module processing an i-th frame of the second image signal, with reference to the processed data of the reference block; and combining the processed data of the i-th image of the first image signal with the processed data of the i-th frame of the second image signal into a multi-view image, where “i” is an integer of at least 2.

According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a multi-view image processing apparatus including a first video codec module which is configured to output first image processed data as a result of processing a first image signal provided from a first image source, and to generate sync information at each predetermined time and a second video codec module which is configured to output second image processed data as a result of processing a second image signal provided from a second image source, using part of the output first image processed data according to the sync information. The first image processed data and the second image processed data are combined into a multi-view image.

The first image signal and the second image signal may include a plurality of frames, and the sync information may be generated every time the first video codec module processes each of the frames of the first image signal.

Alternatively, the first image signal and the second image signal may include a plurality of frames. Each of the frames may include a plurality of rows. The first video codec module may include a first sync transceiver which is configured to generate the sync information every time data of a row in each frame of the first image signal is processed. The second video codec module may include a second sync transceiver which is configured to receive the sync information from the first video codec module.

As another alternative, each of the frames may include a plurality of blocks. The second sync transceiver of the second video codec module may determine whether a reference block of the first image signal, which is referred to when a block of the second image signal is processed, has been processed using the sync information.

Each of the first and second video codec modules may include at least one of an encoder which is configured to encode an input signal, and a decoder which is configured to decode the input signal.

The first video codec module may send the sync information to a host, and the second video codec module may receive the sync information from the host. Alternatively, the first video codec module may include a first sync transceiver which is configured to transmit the sync information to the second video codec module, and the second video codec module may include a second sync transceiver which is configured to receive the sync information from the first video codec module.

Alternatively, the first video codec module may store the sync information in memory, and the second video codec module may read the sync information from the memory.

The first video codec module and the second video codec module may be implemented together in a single hardware module.

The first and second video codec modules may have a same specification (e.g., a same hardware specification).

According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a method of processing a multi-view image using an image processing apparatus including a first video codec module and a second video codec module. The method includes the first video codec module sequentially receiving and processing a plurality of frames of a first image signal; the second video codec module sequentially receiving and processing a plurality of frames of a second image signal; and combining processed data of each frame of the first image signal and processed data of a corresponding frame of the second image signal into a multi-view image. The second video codec module may process each frame of the second image signal using at least part of the processed data of a corresponding frame of the first image signal according to sync information generated by the first video codec module.

The sync information may be generated every time when the first video codec module processes each of the frames of the first image signal.

The frames included in each of the first and second image signals may include a plurality of rows. The sync information may be generated every time when the first video codec module processes data of a row in each of the frames of the first image signal.

The method may further include the second video codec module determining whether a reference block in a first frame of the first image signal has been processed according to the sync information.

The frames included in each of the first and second image signals may include a plurality of blocks and the sync information may be generated every time when the first video codec module processes data of a block in each of the frames of the first image signal.

The method may further include storing the sync information, which includes bitmap data indicating whether the data of the block in each frame of the first image signal has been processed, in memory; and the second video codec module reading the bitmap data from the memory.

The method may further include the second video codec module determining whether the data of the block in each frame of the first image signal has been processed according to the bitmap data.

According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiments, there is provided a method of processing a multi-view image using an image processing apparatus including a first video codec module and a second video codec module. The method includes the first video codec module processing data of each block in a first frame of a first image signal and setting a bit in a bitmap memory every time when processing the data of the block; the second video codec module reading the bit from the bitmap memory and determining whether a reference block in the first frame of the first image signal has been processed according to the bit read from the bitmap memory; and the second video codec module processing a first frame of a second image signal with reference to processed data of the reference block in the first frame of the first image signal.

According to another aspect of the exemplary embodiment, there is provided a codec module for processing a multi-view image signal. The codec module includes a first video codec module which is configured to process a first image signal in the multi-view image, and output first image processing data and sync information; and a second video codec module which is configured to process a second image signal in the multi-view image, and output second image processing data. The second video codec module may process the second image signal using part of the first image processing data according to the sync information output from the first video codec module. The first codec module and the second codec module may perform parallel processing of the multi-view image signal.

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20140306|20140063183|processing multi-view image and executing the same|A method of processing a multi-view image, and a multi-view image processing apparatus for performing the method are provided. The multi-view image processing apparatus includes a first video codec module which is configured to output first image processed data as a result of processing a first image signal provided from |